1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to devices for restraining movement of articles disposed in a rack of a dishwasher and, more particularly, to a generally rectangular flexible elastic article retainer for retaining articles in a dishwasher rack that has laterally opposed longitudinal sides configured to securely engage the upstanding or horizontal wire-like members of the dishwasher rack frame and a center portion formed of a plurality of transverse thin resilient bands disposed in parallel spaced relation for engaging and securing separate articles loaded into the rack.
2. Background Art
As well known in the art, most dishwashers include a rack for holding dinnerware and cookware articles, such as dishes, bowls, cups, glasses, plastic containers, lids, pots, pans, etc., to be washed. The typical dishwasher rack of the type used in most home and commercial dishwashers is in the form of a substantially rectangular open frame or basket having a bottom and four sides, with relatively widely parallel spaced apart plastic covered wire support members that extend between the sides in a crisscross pattern to form the bottom support members of the rack and are turned upwardly on the ends to form vertical side support members that are adjoined at their top ends to a generally rectangular plastic coated top frame member. The bottom support members are connected, at intermediate points within the rack, to plastic covered wire upright support members or “prongs” that extend upwardly from the bottom support members that are typically used to hold articles in a row or column of the rack. The prongs provide support for and separate articles loaded into the rack. Articles, such as cups, glasses, plates and bowls, are placed in the rack between prongs. Except when they are large enough to be held in the rack by friction, the objects are not restrained in the rack other than the proximity of other objects, the prongs, and the sides of the rack.
Jets are usually positioned in the dishwasher housing at the top and/or bottom of the housing, which direct the water under high pressure onto the articles. Water from the high-pressure jets causes movement of the unrestrained objects. When the articles are glass or ceramic, times the movement will often cause them to collide and chip or break. When the articles, such as bowls, cups, glasses, and plastic containers, are plastic, they are usually placed in the rack with their open end or concave surface facing down or to one side. However, the force of the jets is generally sufficient to overturn the articles such that their open end or concave surface is facing upward and they become filled with dirty water and debris.
Others have attempted to overcome these damage and capsizing problems. For example, there are several patents directed toward mesh net devices and devices having elongate parallel elastic bands with fasteners at each end, some of which apply pressure to the lateral sides of the article.
One of the problems associated with net type retainer devices is that if the openings in the mesh are small, the net may obstruct any cleansing action. Also when the net is suspended over taller articles, the shorter articles adjacent to or surrounding the taller articles are no longer restrained from movement and are thus susceptible to overturning.
Some of the problems associated with most hold-down devices utilizing parallel elongate elastic bands with fasteners at each end is that they typically are used to hold articles in a row or column of the rack, thus several units are required to retain a number of articles, and the task of positioning one parallel cord unit for each row or column of each rack is time consuming. Another problem with these types of devices that apply pressure to the lateral sides of the articles is that the restraining pressure will be uniformly applied to each article only if all of the articles are of the same lateral dimension. Thus, two narrow objects surrounded by two wide objects would not be restrained at all.
Cunningham, U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,206 discloses a rectangular elastic mesh device for holding articles in place in a dishwasher, which is dimensioned to overlie at least a portion of the rack and extends substantially across the space between the ends. The mesh has small openings and has rigid plastic connector bars attached at opposite ends that are placed between upstanding wire-like frame members on the outer ends of the dishwasher rack. The device is designed to cover one row or column of the rack. In addition to the time consuming task of positioning one mesh device for each row or column of each rack, the mesh device would not prevent the damage and overturning problems described above.
Zimmerman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,826 discloses a rectangular elastic mesh device for holding articles in place in a dishwasher, which is dimensioned to overlie the top of the rack and has a stretchable surrounding peripheral edge that extends over the sides and ends of the rack, and includes a plurality of T-shaped pin members of various lengths each having a vertical shank portion with a notched bottom end. The shanks of the T-shaped pins are extended through selected openings in the mesh member such that the notched bottom ends are engaged on the wire-like bottom frame members of the rack to prevent smaller items from turning upright or becoming dislodged. Thus, the user has a time consuming task of positioning a plurality of the T-shaped pins at strategic locations to effectively prevent the overturning problems described above.
Dunaway, U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,008 discloses a rectangular elastic net having an outer periphery conforming substantially to the open top of the rack wherein the outer edges of the net slightly overlap the periphery of rack and is secured to the rack by a plurality clips attached at spaced apart increments around the periphery of the net. When the net is stretched across the top of rack and connected to the sides of the rack, the net is sufficiently stiff to remain substantially flat across the top of rack above objects whose height does not exceed that of the rack to prevent vertical movement of these objects. The openings of the net are of such size that the taller objects whose lateral dimensions exceed somewhat the lateral dimensions of the openings may extend therethrough without lifting the net from above the shorter objects. Additional clips or hooks may be used to secure the net to the wire-like bottom frame members such that it extends over taller articles such as plates. Thus, the user has a time consuming task of positioning a plurality of the clips at strategic locations adjacent to taller articles such as plates to effectively prevent the overturning problems described above
Matern, U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,806 discloses a flexible dishwashing accessory having elongated flexible cords that put pressure on utensils to be retained in a dishwasher rack. The device includes a pair of elongate, flexible cords each of which is attached at opposed ends to a transverse attachment member to extend between attachment members in parallel spaced relation. The attachment members have a hook or a notch for engaging the wire-like frame members of the rack. The flexible cords are spread apart slightly to allow a glass or other article to be placed therebetween in a row or column of the rack, then when the cords are released, they securely grip against the sides of the glass or other article holding it in place in the rack. The device is designed to grip the lateral sides of articles in one row or column of the rack; thus, several units are requited to retain a number of articles. Another problem is that the restraining pressure will be uniformly applied to each object only if all of the objects in the row or column are of the same lateral dimension. Thus, narrow objects adjacent to wider objects would not be restrained at all.
Parks, U.S. Pat. No. 6,675,977 discloses a dual band dishwasher clip for retaining and preventing undesired movement of articles such as lightweight, typically plastic articles, in a dishwasher rack. The dual band dishwasher clip includes a pair of clip fasteners having a hooked end for engaging the wire-like members of the dishwasher rack frame, a transverse crosspiece at the opposed end having a curved band stay at each end, and an elastic band loop that is fed through each band stay to define a pair of parallel spaced band segments extending between the clip fasteners. The parallel spaced band segments extend over articles in the dishwasher rack and the clip fasteners are hooked onto the wire-like bottom frame members adjacent to the articles. The device is designed to cover articles in one row or column of the rack; thus, several units are required to retain a number of articles. Another problem with this device is that it applies pressure to the top surface of the articles and shorter articles adjacent to taller articles would not be restrained at all.